Homebrew PCBs

Andrew,

By "new method" I mean chemical etching. My hobby is "inventing". I do have
a lathe, mill, and shaper so could make a dial if I wanted but that is with
standard methods. When I etch a circuit board, the features are very shape
and detailed. So why would I not get crisp features on a dial?

I can transfer toner to metal by using kitchen parchment paper and crazy
glue. Works OK. But true etching would be far more interesting right now.

Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Andrew
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 1:53 PM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: etching the OD of a cylinder to create a
graduated dial

Rick,

When you say "a new method," do you mean new compared to the
mirror-image-on-clear-plastic that you described earlier, or are you also
including new as compared to the standard machinist route using a dividing
head and number stamps?

I understand that you want to try an etching method, and if you succeed I
will be interested in seeing your results. My suspicion is that it will not
be as clear and crisp as the dividing head look ... but of course, I may be
proved wrong.

A year or so ago, a participant on the Practical Machinist forum described
his rebuild of a large bandsaw (over a span of many, many posts); IIRC, one
segment detailed his re-creation of some machine plates using an etching
process. These were flat, however, rather than cylindrical -- a much easier
proposition. Still, might be worth looking at for ideas, if you haven't
already seen it.